The Rev. Chris Cole
Rector
908-277-1814 x2
ccole@calvarysummit.org
The Rev. Christopher Cole is the 14th Rector of Calvary. He came to Calvary from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he served as Rector of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. Previously, he served as Senior Associate Rector at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Arlington, Virginia, and at parishes in Athens and Atlanta, Georgia. His interests include spiritual formation, outreach and cultivating religious dialogue.
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Chris is a Christ-centered, approachable, and collaborative leader with a thoughtful approach to ministry, a humble presence and a gift for preaching. Under Chris’ leadership, Calvary will continue to grow and be a place for congregants to experience God in a loving and accepting community.
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A native of Western North Carolina, Chris is a graduate of UNC-Charlotte and Virginia Theological Seminary. When he is not working, he enjoys the great outdoors, fishing, traveling, and gardening. He is a baseball enthusiast (go Braves!) and an aspiring grill master. Chris’s wife, Alex, is a talented interior designer and the U.S. Managing Director for an international firm that focuses on hotel, restaurant, and multifamily projects. She travels a lot for her job, but always enjoys being involved in the Flower Guild at their parish.
Dr. Evalyn Cogswell
Organist-Choirmaster
908-277-1814 x6
ecogswell@calvarysummit.org
Evalyn Cogswell earned their Doctorate of Music from Indiana University in November 2021. Four months prior to graduating, they began working at Calvary. In their time here, they have been blessed to start a children’s choir, lead the adult choir, and oversee the handbell choir. Dr. Evalyn is exceptionally proud of the work all these ensembles do, and they are always excited to review old favorites and teach new works in order to encourage musical growth for God’s glory and foster a spirit of adventure, joy, and fellowship among all members of the ensembles. In addition to studying at IU, they earned a Master’s of Music at the Yale Institute of Sacred Music and a Bachelor’s Degree in organ and composition from the Hartt School. Dr. Evalyn has continued composing, writing anthems and a Mass setting that the Calvary choir has sung. In their spare time, they are an avid cinephile, tropical fish keeper, and can often be found relaxing with their cats.
Shkelqim Petrela
Sexton
908-277-1814 x8
cpetrela@calvarysummit.org
Originally from Albania, Shkelqim (Cimi) has been with Calvary for over 30 years. He takes care of the church’s campus, oversees repairs and is responsible for setting up for Calvary’s many meetings and events. Cimi and his wife, Mira, live on Calvary’s campus and have two grown sons.
Carolina Pedraza
Born in Colombia, raised in Guatemala, and having lived in the US now for nearly 30 years, Carolina has a background in visual arts and education. She attended Purdue University, in West Lafayette, Indiana and The Ohio State University, in Columbus, Ohio. She and her family have lived abroad, on both US coasts and have a soft spot for the Midwest–the southwestern region of Michigan by the “big lake”, in particular. Carolina has a passion for children’s picture books, loves to read aloud to groups of kids, and is an illustrator with a preference for creating cartoon-style images.
